Jack Eichenbaum of Flushing, Queens, New York City, with eyes pointed straight down, looks as if he is sleeping but instead he is studying the board while playing a Scrabble match during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, Friday, August 16, 2013. less

Jack Eichenbaum of Flushing, Queens, New York City, with eyes pointed straight down, looks as if he is sleeping but instead he is studying the board while playing a Scrabble match during the third annual Old ... more

At left, Lucy Day of Greenwich, in her Scrabble match against Jared Tillis, 11, of Bedford, N.Y., during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, Friday, August 16, 2013. Day defeated Tillis, 385-332. less

At left, Lucy Day of Greenwich, in her Scrabble match against Jared Tillis, 11, of Bedford, N.Y., during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, Friday, August 16, ... more

Lucy Day of Greenwich keeps score during her game against Jared Tillis of Bedford, N.Y., during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, Friday, August 16, 2013.

Lucy Day of Greenwich keeps score during her game against Jared Tillis of Bedford, N.Y., during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, Friday, August 16, 2013.

At left, Lucy Day of Greenwich, in her Scrabble match against Jared Tillis (at lower right), 11, of Bedford, N.Y., during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, Friday, August 16, 2013. Day defeated Tillis, 385-332. less

At left, Lucy Day of Greenwich, in her Scrabble match against Jared Tillis (at lower right), 11, of Bedford, N.Y., during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, ... more

At left, Linda Wancel of Flushing, Queens, New York Ciyt, plays Debbie Sullivan of West Islip, N.Y., during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, Friday, August 16, 2013. less

At left, Linda Wancel of Flushing, Queens, New York Ciyt, plays Debbie Sullivan of West Islip, N.Y., during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, Friday, August 16, ... more

At left, Debbie Sullivan of West Islip, N.Y., smiles as she plays a Scrabble match against Linda Wancel of Flushing, Queens, New York City, during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich, Friday, August 16, 2013. less

At left, Debbie Sullivan of West Islip, N.Y., smiles as she plays a Scrabble match against Linda Wancel of Flushing, Queens, New York City, during the third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament at the Hyatt ... more

Scrabble is a serious game for contestants in this weekend's third annual Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament which, while open to players of all levels, is not family game night.

Attracting veteran players from throughout the tri-state area and even as far away as Ohio and Maryland, the tournament expects to see hundreds of games played by 60 participants both young and old, relative beginners and grand masters, over three days at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich.

The competition kicked off Friday afternoon with a small five-game Early Bird tournament, drawing diehards who warmed up before the main event began later that night.

Tournaments for new players along with a Jeopardy contest hosted by Jason Keller, a nine-time Jeopardy champion, are also scheduled for the weekend.

The youngest player during the Early Bird games had just graduated sixth grade, Guest said. The oldest was pushing 70.

Immortalized in Stefan Fatsis' 2001 bestselling book "Word Freak," Scrabble tournaments such as this weekend's have become common nationwide, developing into a full-blown amateur circuit replete with national competitions and rankings.

For the very best players, the game is as strategic as chess, with competition as fierce as any professional sport.

The National Scrabble Championship wrapped up last month at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas -- Ben Schoenbrun, of Ardsley, N.Y., was one of its 125 competitors.

Closer to home at the Old Greenwich Tournament, he's playing to win.

"I usually play in five (or so) tournaments a year, and you start to recognize people. Most people here today are from around here," said Schoenbrun, who is ranked 30th among North American Scrabble players."

It is that sense of community that keeps many players coming back.

Regional players recognize each other on sight, slap hands and share smiles, as members of an elite club of uncommon competitors.

"These tournaments are particularly cool because you begin to see the same people here time and time again," said Ed Turn, of Hamden, who played Scrabble growing up before entering the tournament circuit 10 years ago after reading "Word Freak." "You begin to get to know people pretty well."

And while there are cash prizes ranging from several thousand dollars at national and international tournaments to several hundred at smaller regional and local ones, Guest said it was rarely about the money, but rather the glory and enjoyment of good competition.

"Part of a three-day Scrabble tournament is social -- it's about seeing friends and having a good time," said Guest.

But that's not to say the Old Greenwich Scrabble Tournament is all fun and games.

The room at the Hyatt, bustling with chatter at first, falls silent as soon as the first round begins, the quiet broken only by the occasional clicker of a timer or the rustle of tiles.